Rickwood's curtains go up again

Rickwood's curtains go up again
Bill
Lumpkin
Lights go on again at Rickwood Field Saturday night, and the caliber of professional baseball being introduced is anybody's guess. Officially, it isn't even a minor.
The new Freedom League is a loner, an independent, void of business or fraternal ties with the majors or national minors, the brainchild and financial burden of Art Peterson, an easterner.
Fully aware of the declining state of the game being played under the majors, Peterson shrugs off the risk.
"Hopefully, we'll make enough money at the gate to break even or show a profit the first year," he says. "If we lose a $100,000, well... it is our first year and we're getting a late start."
Players range from enthused raw college graduates rejected in baseball drafts to retreaded ex-pros pink-slipped out of the ranks. Development will offer dual benefits. Peterson can profit from sales to interested majors and players will have dreams fulfilled.
There's something refreshing about getting back to the old ball park, of Rickwood glowing once more after two years of summer darkness. Management has reached back into Rickwood's rich baseball tradition to revive a popular nickname, Barons. Birmingham has been dropped. It'll be the Alabama Barons who'll oppose Washington in an inaugural twin-bill, beginning at 6 p.m.
General manager Kenny Gonzales has taken another leaf out of the past. He is asking many familiar faces to partake of the opening.
Invitations are being extended to such
former baseball notables as Norm Zauchin, Rickwood's all-time home run slugger, Joe Tipton, Albert Belcher, Glynn West, Jim Atkins, Carl Wagner, Bob Scranton, Luman Harris, Dixie Walker, Harry Walker, Piper Davis, Hoss Bowlin, Ben Chapman...
Any similarity between what was played at Rickwood and what's being unveiled ends there. Zauchin played in the 1950s when the old Southern League was probably equal to today's 3A leagues or to a new major league expansion team.
The Alabama Barons will be a cross between a rookie league team and a top collegiate nine.
"It's going to be interesting," said Barons manager Roy Mewbourne. "I don't know what the other three teams in the league have. I don't know how to evaluate our team.
"I've tried to pick guys who have the potential to go on. Most of our players have played college baseball. We have several who have had pro shots."
Over 65 players have been run through workouts. The squad was reduced to 22 last week.
"I've tried to get down as close as I can. I'll cut down to seven pitchers, two catchers, three outfielders and six infielders by Saturday. I probably cut some who could help us. I felt age was against some. I tried to keep the guys who might have a chance of being signed by major league teams."
Mewbourne comes to his new position with a solid background in the game. He has coached the Birmingham-Southern baseball team to national prominence. A new experience has been having to call in players and tell them to go home.
"You have to do that a few times in college. Mostly, it's kids who don't have talent to help you. Here, the kids have talent. That makes it hard.
"I've tried to be fair. I explained to them that we gave them a fair chance. We gave every kid cut a couple of days to show us what they have. I didn't receive any arguments."
The Barons will play a 35-game season, including 11 doubleheaders and 13 single games. The opening series with Washington numbers six games, a single game Sunday, a twin-bill Monday and another single Tuesday.
"This is a new situation for me, especially not knowing what the other teams have. They may come in here and beat the pants off us. Or, we just might beat the pants off them.
"We won't know what the league is like until Saturday night."
Work toward putting together a league has been progressing for months. Delays developed in obtaining a lease at RFK Stadium in Washington where the other three teams will play.
The network wasn't completed until earlier this month.
"We've had so much to do," said Gonzales. "We would like to make the first night a rememberance to those who really put baseball on the map here."

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Rickwood's curtains go up again
Bill
Lumpkin
Lights go on again at Rickwood Field Saturday night, and the caliber of professional baseball being introduced is anybody's guess. Officially, it isn't even a minor.
The new Freedom League is a loner, an independent, void of business or fraternal ties with the majors or national minors, the brainchild and financial burden of Art Peterson, an easterner.
Fully aware of the declining state of the game being played under the majors, Peterson shrugs off the risk.
"Hopefully, we'll make enough money at the gate to break even or show a profit the first year," he says. "If we lose a $100,000, well... it is our first year and we're getting a late start."
Players range from enthused raw college graduates rejected in baseball drafts to retreaded ex-pros pink-slipped out of the ranks. Development will offer dual benefits. Peterson can profit from sales to interested majors and players will have dreams fulfilled.
There's something refreshing about getting back to the old ball park, of Rickwood glowing once more after two years of summer darkness. Management has reached back into Rickwood's rich baseball tradition to revive a popular nickname, Barons. Birmingham has been dropped. It'll be the Alabama Barons who'll oppose Washington in an inaugural twin-bill, beginning at 6 p.m.
General manager Kenny Gonzales has taken another leaf out of the past. He is asking many familiar faces to partake of the opening.
Invitations are being extended to such
former baseball notables as Norm Zauchin, Rickwood's all-time home run slugger, Joe Tipton, Albert Belcher, Glynn West, Jim Atkins, Carl Wagner, Bob Scranton, Luman Harris, Dixie Walker, Harry Walker, Piper Davis, Hoss Bowlin, Ben Chapman...
Any similarity between what was played at Rickwood and what's being unveiled ends there. Zauchin played in the 1950s when the old Southern League was probably equal to today's 3A leagues or to a new major league expansion team.
The Alabama Barons will be a cross between a rookie league team and a top collegiate nine.
"It's going to be interesting," said Barons manager Roy Mewbourne. "I don't know what the other three teams in the league have. I don't know how to evaluate our team.
"I've tried to pick guys who have the potential to go on. Most of our players have played college baseball. We have several who have had pro shots."
Over 65 players have been run through workouts. The squad was reduced to 22 last week.
"I've tried to get down as close as I can. I'll cut down to seven pitchers, two catchers, three outfielders and six infielders by Saturday. I probably cut some who could help us. I felt age was against some. I tried to keep the guys who might have a chance of being signed by major league teams."
Mewbourne comes to his new position with a solid background in the game. He has coached the Birmingham-Southern baseball team to national prominence. A new experience has been having to call in players and tell them to go home.
"You have to do that a few times in college. Mostly, it's kids who don't have talent to help you. Here, the kids have talent. That makes it hard.
"I've tried to be fair. I explained to them that we gave them a fair chance. We gave every kid cut a couple of days to show us what they have. I didn't receive any arguments."
The Barons will play a 35-game season, including 11 doubleheaders and 13 single games. The opening series with Washington numbers six games, a single game Sunday, a twin-bill Monday and another single Tuesday.
"This is a new situation for me, especially not knowing what the other teams have. They may come in here and beat the pants off us. Or, we just might beat the pants off them.
"We won't know what the league is like until Saturday night."
Work toward putting together a league has been progressing for months. Delays developed in obtaining a lease at RFK Stadium in Washington where the other three teams will play.
The network wasn't completed until earlier this month.
"We've had so much to do," said Gonzales. "We would like to make the first night a rememberance to those who really put baseball on the map here."